Tuesday, May 11, 2010

I Know It When I See it!

By Darvell Hunt

Literary agents and publishing editors often say they are looking for the next great idea for a book, yet they often seem leery about taking on something that’s never been done before. What a confusing contradiction.

So what are we writers to do? Should we write something like what we currently see out there, assuming that there will still a market for it down the road, or do we try to create something new and different, and hope an agent and/or a publisher will take the chance on us?

Some of the best-selling books out there don’t fit the mold of what’s been sold before—and I don’t think even most agents and editors have any idea what the next rage will be. So how are we supposed to write for it?

At a writers conference a few years ago, I heard an agent say this: “I don’t know exactly what I’m looking for, but I know it when I see it.”

I think that's how it works for me, too. I don’t always know when my next “great idea” will come, or what form it will take, but I usually know it when I see it. You can't force inspiration, but it's fun to convert it to written form when it comes!

That was one of the things we learned at storymakers--that it's not such a good thing to write for the "trends" because by the time you write the book, find representation, go through the slow machine that is the publishing industry...years have gone by and the "trend" is either long gone, or swimming in a sea of copy-cats anyway.

Bottom line, write whatever story drives you and keeps you up at night.

Around the Blogck

Once upon a time, a group of new writers got together and started this blog about their struggles, their aspirations, and their quest to become published authors.

Now, the better part of a decade later, we've been around awhile. We've learned far more , done more, and gone farther than we ever imagined we would!

Some joined us, some moved on, some became the published authors they always wanted to be, and some are still in the grind.

This is the record of where we've been, a textbook of what's been learned and a heartfelt memoir of experiences shared. Though the writers have moved on, the archives are here for you to peruse, and hopefully you'll find something in them to help, encourage and uplift.